The Big Ten will play a nine-game league schedule beginning in 2016, ESPN.com reported. The league presidents are expected to vote on the change next week.

A Maryland athletic department spokesman referred all inquiries about the proposed divisions to the Big Ten league office.

According to ESPN.com, the only debate about the new alignment concerned the placement of Indiana and nearby rival Purdue, which first met in 1891 and have played a traditional end-of-season game for the Old Oaken Bucket since 1908. The rivalry will be preserved, ESPN.com reported.

When Nebraska joined the Big Ten in 2010, the divisions were based more on gaining competitive balance than making sense logistically.The Cornhuskers joined Illinois, Indiana, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue and Wisconsin in the Leaders Division. Michigan, Michigan State, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska and Northwestern made up the Legends Division.

The new configuration will preserve two of the Big Ten's longest traditional rivalries, those between Ohio State and Michigan, and between Michigan and Michigan State. All of the West Division teams are in the Central time zone.